Without a first-round pick, the Buffalo Bills would need to make an impact by finding players who saw their names slid into the second day of the 2020 NFL Draft.
Buffalo did extremely well, finding another ideal fit for their defense in the second round with Iowa defensive end AJ Epenesa. Then the team followed up by selecting running back Zach Moss in the third round.
Overall, the immediate reaction: Buffalo made high marks with two impactful picks on Friday night.
Here’s how Bills Wire grades out Buffalo’s haul on Day 2:
Round 2 | No. 54 | DE AJ Epenesa | Iowa
Grade: A
The draft board fell into the Bills’ lap. They had their pick of any number of edge rushers, deciding to go with Epenesa. With Epenesa, The Bills get a versatile pass-rushing lineman. He played as a traditional edge rusher in college, and he also played snaps as a pass-rushing defensive tackle on the interior. Epenesa earned MVP honors at this year’s Holiday Bowl, registering two-and-a-half sacks and forcing one fumble. Epenesa also earned first-team, All-Big Ten honors as a senior. He was disruptive during his final two seasons in Iowa, recording a total of 22 sacks and eight forced fumbles.
Buffalo was in need of an edge rusher, and Epenesa fills that void to a degree. He does a little bit of everything fairly well, playing physically against the run as well as getting in the quarterback’s face with the prior mentioned sack totals. He’s powerful and physical at the point of attack; Bills fans will find that “power” will be a word used consistently when describing Epenesa’s game. However, Epenesa does not have that explosive burst of the top tier pass rushers in the draft and he didn’t prove he has it at the combine. He does make up for that fact with force; he’s direct when tracking down the ball carrier or quarterback. Epenesa wins battles in the trenches, and that will endear him to the Bills coaching staff. As he develops a greater arsenal of pass rush moves, he will be even more effective.
With the defensive ends on the Bills roster getting up there in age, both Mario Addison and Jerry Hughes are 30-plus years old already, Epenesa looks to be a good choice to support the unit in the long term. Buffalo is a great spot for Epenesa, as he will have time to refine his game before playing even more snaps. He’s a complete player that fits Sean McDermott’s defense nicely. For now, he’ll be a rotational player who can keep the energy at a high level.
Random Fact I just found: AJ Epenesa’s first collegiate sack was against Josh Allen back in 2017.
Who would have thought that? @BuffaloBills @WGR550 @SalSports #Bills pic.twitter.com/1Mt6dfWnJd
— Nick N. (@TheCanadianJack) April 25, 2020